Support for hinged covers or members.



F. E. LEVANSELEH.

SUPPORT FOR HINGED COVERS 0R MEMBERS. APPLICATION FILED MAY l5, [9E5- ]Patented Dec. 12, 191 6.

rnann n. LEVAN'LSJE'LER, or onroaeo, ILLInoIs.

SUPPORT FOR HINGED COVERS 0R MEMBERS.

LEWKWW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. f2, time.

Application filed May 15, 1915. Serial No. 28,245-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. LEvAN- snnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Hinged Covers or Members, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for supporting the hinged lids or covers of desks, trunks, boxes, pianos and the like, when raised or turned op their hinges to any desired elevation or angle, in such a manner that the supporting action or operation of the device will be automatic, and of such a character as to securely hold the lid, cover or member in its tilted, raised, position against accidental lowering, falling or changing of the same, yet, so that, by the proper manipulation of the cover or member, and by applying slight pressure thereto,- .it can be easily lowered, closed or its angular position with respect to the body on which it is mounted, changed, in which position it will remain until again lifted or moved in the opposite direction.

The principal object of the present invention, is similar to that disclosed in my application for patent, Serial Number 13,821, filed March 11,1915 for improvements in a support for hinged covers or members, that is to say, is to provide a support of the above named general character, which shall e extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durableand efiective in operation, with its parts so made and arranged, that they can be easily applied or attached to the article and its'cover or member, and when in use, will be concealed or protected, when the cover or member is closed.

Other objects and advantages of the, in vention will be disclosed in the subjoined description. and explanation. I

In 'the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a' portion of a box,'trunk, or desk showing a portion of its lid or cover lifted to an angle, and illustrating- .by dotted lines the said lid orcover in its closed or lowered position, said view showing one'form of the support, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of like parts, showing a modification in the con- I nit-notion of t support.

or angular the reference numeral 4 designates a portion of a box, trunk, desk,'or the body of any receptacle that may be desired to close by means of a hinged lid or cover, which lid or cover is designated by the numeral 5 and is shown in the above named figure of the drawing, by continuous lines in an elevated or inclined position. The lid or cover 5 is shown as having a depending flange 6 at its perimeter, and as being secured by means of a hinge or hinges 7 to the upper rear portion of the I desired however, the depending flange 6 may be omitted and the member 5 secured by means of hinges directly to the body 4: of the trunk or other receptacle. Pivotally secured at one of its ends to the flange 6, when the same is used, is a link- 8 which extends downwardly along one side of the end 9, of the box, and preferably within the. same. Connected to the lower or free end of the link 8 isa spiral spring 10 which spring is adjustably connected at its other end by means of a hook 11 to a bracket 12 Which.bracket is secured to one side of the end '9 of the box or. trunk, and preferably within the same, and at a point near the front thereof. The bracket 12 is provided with an apertured extension 13 at its end, adjacent to the link 8 and the screw-threaded stem 14 of the hook 11, is extended through said aperture and held in place by a nut 15 engaging said stem. By this means it is apparent that the hook 11 can be adjusted so as to regulate the tension of the spring 10 when desired. Pivotally secured at one of its ends, the same, and the link '8, is another link 16, which is shorter than the. link 8, and has its the difi'erent drawing,

box, desk, or trunk. If

upper corner near the bracket 12 and between other end pivotally connected to the link 8 between the ends of the latter, and by preference below the middle of the first named li I In Fig. 2 of the drawing is shown a modification inthe construction of the support in this modifiedconstruction, the bracket 12 is mounted on the trunk, or box 4t, by preference on the inner surface of theend 9 thereof, rearwardly of t lower end of the link 1 flange 6, of the hinged member 5, when said otally connected at itspupper end to the flange is used. The spiral sprin 10 connects the lower or free end; of t e link '8 in the modified-construction to the bracket 12 in a similar-manner-to that. first above described, and it' will be apparent that'the results obtained by the two'constructions willbesimilar. 'v. 'From the foregoing and by reference to i the drawing, it will, be readily understood and clearly seen that by raising the 11d or niember 5 from the dotted line position shown in the drawing to that illustrated by continuous lines, the" links Sand 1% will be moved upwardly, from, their 1 positions, .to' those shown in the continuous lines in which positions the parts willbe held or fixed, by reason of the tension of the spring 10 on theplower end of the line 8 which is fulcr'umed as at 17 on the link 16, which link will afford its closed or horizontal position, it will be fixedly held in such a position until it is trunk or desk in desired to lower the same, when, by a very slight downward pressure on the lid or member is applied, the same may be lowered gradually until it rests on top of the box,

which position, it will relifted-' It is evident that main until again" the -lid or member 5 may be omitted-and that the link,'8 can bepivot v 'alliyisecured thereto in any suitable manner.- aving thus fully .tion, what 1-; claim as new and desire to so cure by'Lctters Patent is- 1. In afsuprgu't for hinged covers or'membore, the com or member, of

. named link between 'aspring irom the hinged portion of member, a shifting fulcrum connected 'at one of I a shifting fulcrum as is obvious, so that no matter to what dedescribed my invenination with a hinged cover a link pivotally connected tance from the hinged portion of the cover or member, a shifting fulcrum link pivotallly'connectedat' one of its ends to the first the ends thereof and near its other end, and connected at one of its ends to the free portion 61? the first-named link and ati'ts other'end to a suitable support.

2. In a supportfor hinged covers or membore, the combination with a hinged cover or pi'votall'y' supported member, of a link pivotally connected thereto' at one of. its ends at a suitable distance the cover or link pivotally its ends to the first 'free end of the latter named link near the and pivotally connected atits other end to a suitable support, a spring connected to the free portionof thevfirst named link, and means for adjustably connecting the other end of said spring to a suitable support.

3. In a support for hinged covers or members, the combination with a hinged cover or member, of a. link iyotally connected thereto at one of its on s at a suitable distance from the hinged portion of the cover or member, a shifting fulcrum-link pivotally connected at one of; its ends to the first named link between the ends thereof and pivotally supported'near its other end, and a spring connected at one of its ends to the freevportion of'thefir stnamed link and at its other end to a suitable support, the said links and spring being arranged with such angularity with respect to each other and to the hinged cover or support as to pe"mit the. latter to remain closed.

. FRANK E. LEVA'NSELER. Witnesses: 4

' Cms. C. TIILMAN,

A. E.OLSON.

8 which in this-modified construction, is pivthereto "at one of its ends at a suitable dis- 

